How Old Do You Have to Be to Buy Lottery Tickets in Texas?

The short answer: you must be at least 18 years old to buy a lottery ticket in Texas. That covers everything the Texas Lottery sells, scratch tickets and draw games alike. Here is what the rule means in practice, and the details worth knowing.

The age to buy is 18

In Texas, you have to be 18 to purchase any lottery product, whether it is a scratch-off (Texas calls them scratch tickets) or a draw game like Lotto Texas, Powerball, or Mega Millions. There is no separate, higher age for pricier tickets. Eighteen is the line for everything at the counter. If you want the rules across the country, here is how the age limit works in general.

Retailers have to check ID

Stores that sell lottery tickets are required to verify age, and selling to someone under 18 is illegal. A clerk can and should ask for ID if there is any doubt, and retailers caught selling to minors face penalties from the lottery, including fines and the loss of their license to sell. If you look young, expect to be carded. The same 18 rule applies however you play, in a store or through any official app the Texas Lottery offers.

Can you give a Texas ticket to a minor?

Yes, and Texas is explicit about it: a person 18 or older can buy a ticket to give as a gift, including to someone under 18. A minor still cannot collect a prize directly, though, and how the payout is handled depends on the size. For a prize under $600, the Texas Lottery can pay an adult member of the minor's family or the minor's guardian, made payable to the minor. For $600 or more, the prize is deposited with a financial institution to the credit of an adult family member or guardian acting as custodian for the minor under the Texas Uniform Transfers to Minors Act. Either way, the child keeps the claim to the money; an adult simply manages it.

Why the limit exists

The age requirement is a responsible-gambling measure. Lottery products are a form of gambling, and 18 is the age Texas treats you as an adult who can decide to play. It is the same reasoning behind age limits on other adult purchases.

And once you are old enough to win

Claiming works the same as anywhere: small prizes at the store, larger ones at a lottery office with a photo ID and your Social Security number, and taxes come out of the bigger wins (how lottery winnings are taxed). You also generally claim in the state where you bought the ticket, which we cover in claiming across state lines.

In Texas, 18 is the number: 18 to buy, 18 to claim, no exceptions at the register. If you are of age and want to see which tickets are actually worth buying, that is what our Texas scratch-off rankings are for.

Sources

Texas Government Code Chapter 466, State Lottery (Sections 466.3051 and 466.405)